Harry Wilson hits a hat-trick as U23s win sixth game in a row

Liverpool U23s extended their Premier League 2 winning streak to six matches with a 4-2 victory over Tottenham Hotspur at Anfield on Friday night.

A first-half hat-trick by Harry Wilson had the young Reds ahead by the odd goal in five at the interval, and Rhian Brewster opened up an unassailable advantage with a stunning lob at the Kop end on 50 minutes.

And that proved enough for Neil Critchley’s side to maintain their flawless opening to the 2017-18 season.

The home side needed less than half a minute to take the lead.

Their opening foray forward led to hesitancy in the Tottenham backline and when the ball bounced to the unmarked Wilson, ghosting in from the right flank, the Welshman produced a precise looping header into the net.

Spurs captain Joe Pritchard flashed a free-kick from outside the area too close to Caoimhin Kelleher, before Brewster untypically squandered a one-on-one situation – his first effort saved and his second skewed wide.

There was no such wastefulness from Wilson on 16 minutes, however.

Lloyd Jones’ knock over the top released Lazar Markovic to run clear and though the Serb’s path to goal was blocked, he intelligently teed up Wilson to his right inside the box for a finish across the goalkeeper.

So far, so good – but the away team soon halved their deficit.

Liverpool were aggrieved by the decision to penalise Jones’ challenge but Marcus Edwards rendered protestations irrelevant by coolly dispatching the ball into the top left corner from 12 yards.

Brewster’s brilliant run and dribble down the left presented Wilson with a hat-trick opportunity that was blocked, and the striker himself later cracked an attempt against the crossbar.